Stand Up Against Corporate Influence
Posted by Michelle Moquin on September 20th, 2010
Good morning. I HOPE that everyone had a wonderful weekend!
We were at the Renaissance Faire all day yesterday in Gilroy with two friends Tara and Paul. They are so into it. Especially Tara, who has designed and has had constructed many authentic elaborate costumes. I was thrilled that she was so kind to outfit me in one.
“Isabella”, and myself “Michaela”, were certainly the “ladies” of the fair with the most exquisite outfits….ex courtesans actually, from Italy. Paulo, the artist accompanied us, and “Bob”, the well endowed “pond boy” from England escorted me, fanning me all day with Peacock plumes. We garnered quite a few looks, and playing the part was fun.
Talk about “Ta Tas” up to there (That’s a nod to you ZL:) – mine certainly were. No need to stick them up and out, the corset does all the work, and is the ladies BF, not to mention, the gentleman’s. :)
Anyway, if you have never been, the Renaissance Faire is a delight to attend. And if you go don’t forget to attend the joust. :)
Now onto today’s topic. Not enough can be said about special interests backing election ads, which means they can and will have a strong influence on the outcome of elections. It is a time where people can not be big “L”, little “a”, little “z”, and “y” are you so “Lazy”? It is a time where people really need to ask question…do a little digging…stand up against corporate influence.
Here’s the latest from MoveOn:
Dear MoveOn member,
As we move into election season, we wanted to send you a quick update on our big campaign to challenge corporate influence and thank you for your good work!
We started this campaign, at the beginning of the summer, not knowing how many candidates we’d be able to get to commit to our effort and believing that only a massive grassroots effort would make this campaign possible. Thanks to your incredible work, that campaign has blown away this summer’s goals.
In fact, nearly 200 candidates and members of Congress, along with 500,000 individuals, have endorsed the Fight Washington Corruption pledge—our three-part blueprint to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, enact publicly-financed elections, and reduce the influence of lobbyists in Washington.
Thanks in part to our work together, corporate lobbying and influence have become increasingly important themes in the election. Just last week, for example, The New York Times ran a front-page profile of Republican leader John Boehner focused on his links to corporate lobbyists1. And candidates like Paul Hodes in New Hampshire have come out with new plans to shut the revolving door between government and industry2.
Meanwhile, though, the problem is only getting worse. In the wake of Citizens United, corporate interests are spending an astounding $400 million to buy the election for Republicans3. Which is why our focus between now and November needs to be on supporting the candidates who’ve stood up against corporate influence, and beating back the hostile corporate takeover of Congress!
Succeeding in this election will be tough, but thanks to the amazing work that you and other MoveOn members did on this campaign over the summer we now have a solid foundation for taking on these Republicans and the corporations behind them. We’ll be in touch soon with ways you can get involved in the election your area, but for now, thank you for your commitment to this campaign and to our cause.
–Ilyse, Justin, Ilya, Jeff, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “A G.O.P. Leader Tightly Bound to Lobbyists,” The New York Times, September 11, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90358&id=23521-7572272-gycbtWx&t=1
2. “Hodes Announces Plan to Stop Washington Lobbyists’ ‘Revolving Door,’” press release, paulhodesforsenate.com, August 4, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90357&id=23521-7572272-gycbtWx&t=2
3. “Conservative Groups Gearing Up To Spend $400 Million On Midterm Election,” Think Progress, August 27, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90215&id=23521-7572272-gycbtWx&t=3
Want to support our work? We’re entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.
Readers: Get involved. Do something. On another political note, while phone banking on Saturday for a few hours, I, as well as, Doug (Thanks Doug for coming with me!) talked to several people who were on the fence not only about voting in November, but of certain candidates. But after listening and pointing out a few key reasons why they should vote for the Democratic nominee over the Republican nominee, we were able to not only get people to go and vote but to vote Democratic. See…phone banking really does work.
Taylor: I agree. Thanks for the confidence in me and my blog.
Rufus: That is so funny. It had me going. :)
Lea: Perhaps you should read the comment from Xur.
Ruth: Helpful article. Thanks for posting. I HOPE al is going well with you ad your girls, Evelyn included. Haven’t heard much from that girl. I take it Evelyn and Harris are enjoying each other still. Give them both my best just in case they are too busy to read. :)
Tina: I read the article. Interesting. Without knowing your circumstances, only you would know best. Good luck.
Will: I am always blown away that people will fall for things like this, but they do. Keep us posted on the response. I would love to hear it.
Peace out…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
September 20th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
OMG, look at what comes up the second I decide to go have a hedonistic weekend without all of you…!
Wow, where do I start?
Sara, that’s quite a theory you started : ) actually Mischa, Doug and I are all one person. ohhhhahahahaha…hee hee hee…yeah, actually we’re not. Physically, we are all enhanced cyborgs (or not) so we are all considered sexy beings, beasts, bustin’ out of bustiers and in Doug’s case, well he’s just too sexy for his shirt, too sexy for his jeans – just too sexy!
Holden, in cahoots? I love that word : ) and it made me laugh.
Albert, I think Christine O’Donell is crazy as a loon, so listen, you have my permish to utilize your private sexual energy using any photo of any female (or male, if’n you wish) myself included, Doug included, etc… : )
Larry, I said I’m not gorgeous not that I don’t know that I have a certain something, and that is what it is bc while I’m attractive enough it really is me in motion that is best, that being said – I think Doug has got it right, we can give a lot of energy to what Mischa looks like or Doug or me and I’ll forward my montage when it meets my criteria – I took a risk and had many pics taken sans any make up and blow dried do, and they have received excellent reviews, apparently my eyeliner and nicely straightened blond do doesn’t do as much for me as I think it does : )
LeeAnn, I loved your TMI story : )
Tina, I read that magazine, and hmmm, awhile ago, long while ago based on something Anonz said about his ‘priors’ I made contact with a few by asking the grapevine, so I have contact again with a few but the most impactful meeting was with my high school BF, after talking for an hour or so, he said he could still listen to my rap for hours and always felt that if it weren’t for bad timing in life we’d be married – wow – um, I loved him, he was my first and I think I might’ve felt that way for a few years after but we’re talking 20+ now. I smiled, said nothing in response, thought I’d let the man have his sweet fantasy, and I do think it’s sweet, and wistful, and I wish I felt the same way…maybe you could take a chance and make contact with your old love and see what happens? I feel for you, there were 3 men I felt that way about for 3-5 years afterwards, incluing the HS BF…ah well…the great part is, there will always be another. The not so good part is I am convinced that not everyone gets to experinec big big big love in every go around here, maybe you’ll have to wait till next time around and yes, I believe in reincarnation to a degree so I’m good with the concept, this time, next time, whatev…
Ruth, I was thinking about you this morning, good to see you post here, always good info – and you know my question of the day for you, yes?
I’m still giggling over the ‘triad’ of Mischa, Doug and I – personally I think I make it in here bc I’ve been on here almost daily for as long as Mischa’s been blogging : ) and on that note, back to work for me…!
Caio, Luv, Zen Lill
September 20th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
The IRS Is Cracking Down on More Taxpayers
Martin S. Kaplan, CPA
The IRS has been stepping up efforts to make sure that taxpayers are paying up, especially as the federal budget deficit soars.
About 40,000 more individual tax returns were audited in fiscal 2009 than in 2008 — and the number has more than doubled since 2000.
For 2010, the tentative federal tax-enforcement budget is up nearly 10% from last year.
There’s no way to absolutely audit-proof a tax return.
However, there are steps you can take to minimize the chances that the Internal Revenue Service will challenge yours, including ways to make sure that you don’t have any of the new potential red flags that the IRS is targeting.
To reduce the chances of an IRS audit…
REPORT ALL YOUR INCOME
In the current economic climate, unreported income is a major concern of the IRS, especially if you are self-employed and report income on Schedule C of IRS Form 1040.
The IRS estimates the annual “tax gap” between what taxpayers should pay and what they actually pay at $290 billion, and has said that underreported income accounts for 80% of this tax gap.
An agent may look beyond your W-2 forms and 1099 forms that report income.
He/she may examine all of your checking and savings accounts from December of the year prior to the year that is under examination through January of the following year — 14 months in all.
You may have to provide that information for your children’s bank accounts, too. The agent will be looking for deposits substantially in excess of the income you reported.
You’ll be asked to explain any deposits that were not classified as income, such as proceeds from a home-equity loan, account transfers, an inheritance and gifts.
What to do: Make sure that you report all of your taxable income.
Go over all of your bank deposits as an IRS agent might, and see if you can account for all deposits in excess of the taxable income you report.
MORE INCOME = MORE VIGILANCE
With income of $200,000 or less, you have about a 1% chance of being audited, according to the IRS.
Audits of taxpayers in this income group rose only slightly from 2008 to 2009. With income of more than $200,000 up to $1 million, your chance of an audit triples to about 3%. Audits of such taxpayers rose by 11% from 2008 to 2009.
And with income of more than $1 million, your chances of facing IRS scrutiny shoot up to more than 6%.
Audits of seven-figure-income taxpayers rose by 30% from 2008 to 2009.
What to do: The higher your income, the more vigilant you must be about avoiding errors, omissions and questionable deductions.
There also is more reason to hire a professional tax preparer. And there may be more reason to lower your taxable income by investing in tax-exempt bonds and other means.
DON’T CALL A HOBBY A BUSINESS
Be cautious about reporting as a business any hobby that is only minimally profitable — an increasingly common practice that the IRS frowns upon because you are not allowed to deduct losses from a hobby (but you can deduct losses from a business).
A true business may lose money, of course. As long as you have records showing that you made a legitimate effort to create a real business, you can deduct the loss.
This means running the activity in a businesslike manner — with a business plan, a separate business bank account, good records of income and expenses, etc.
If you report business expenses, including auto, travel and entertainment expenses, that are high relative to your income, that also could draw extra scrutiny from the IRS.
Keep thorough records of income and expenses for your business.
Be aware that you do have to report all income from a hobby. The good news is that you can deduct expenses of the hobby to the extent of that income.
BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT HOME OFFICES
In addition to unreported income, IRS examiners often focus on deductions for a home office. Therefore, filing Form 8829 (Expenses for Business Use of Your Home) might attract IRS attention and trigger an audit.
What’s new: When a taxpayer who is audited has filed Form 8829, many IRS districts now are making it mandatory for a revenue agent to physically visit the taxpayer’s home by appointment.
During the home visit, the agent will look around and take pictures to determine whether there really is a home office, whether it’s set up exclusively for business and how large a portion of the home is taken up by the office.
What to do: Consider restricting the square footage you report for a home office to less than 20% of the total space in your home.
You might end up with a slightly lower tax deduction than you are technically entitled to, but you may reduce your exposure to an audit. You even may want to avoid declaring a home office at all.
PROVE YOU DONATED
The IRS appears to be taking a much closer look at cash and noncash charitable donations, especially ones that are very large relative to the taxpayer’s income.
Giving 10% of your income to charity is far above the norm, which is around 2%. Thus, donating large amounts relative to your income may be a red flag to IRS examiners.
Gifts of property, especially those valued at more than $5,000, often draw scrutiny.
All charitable deductions must be backed up by written verification now, such as a letter from the charity or a bank record of the gift, or, for cash donations under $250, a bank record recording the gift.
What to do: If you really donate substantial amounts and have supporting evidence, such as receipts… letters from the recipient organizations… and/or your bank statements, take the deductions. Avoid making cash donations — it’s better to use a check or credit card.
BACK UP HOME BUYER’S CLAIM
New laws in 2008 and 2009 created tax credits of up to $8,000 for many first-time home buyers and $6,500 for many repeat buyers.
However, the Treasury Department found that about one out of every 10 claims for the tax credit is faulty, for a total of more than $600 million in claims that will not be allowed.
The IRS has frozen thousands of tax refunds and initiated more than 100,000 examinations of questionable claims.
Examples: More than 580 people under age 18 (including a four-year-old) claimed the credit, even though they are not eligible.
The IRS suspects that some high-income parents (who were not eligible for the credit) had their low-income children claim the credit.
Another, perhaps more innocent, mistake might be claiming the credit if your income was over the limit.
What to do: To avoid inviting an audit, be familiar with all of the requirements for the home buyer’s credit, and follow them to the letter.
For details, go to http://www.HomeBuyerTaxCredit.com. Be sure to attach Form 5405 and proof of closing to your tax return.
DON’T EXAGGERATE MORTGAGE INTEREST
During the housing boom, many people refinanced their homes with “cash-out” mortgages, pulling out home equity to use for living expenses.
In 2009, the IRS announced that it will extend a regional project scrutinizing mortgage interest to a nationwide level by December 2011.
The regional project found many people reporting large mortgage interest deductions in relation to their income — a potential audit red flag.
What to do: If you are reporting, say, $20,000 in mortgage interest payments but only $25,000 in income for 2009, you would be wise to attach a brief statement explaining how you can handle such a big mortgage — for example, that you are tapping your savings to pay the mortgage.
DECLARE OVERSEAS ACCOUNTS
The IRS has announced that it expects to collect $8.5 billion in back taxes from Americans with foreign bank accounts over the next few years.
The IRS is pressuring foreign banks to name names. For example, in 2009, the US and Switzerland reached an agreement requiring Swiss banks to provide account information if the IRS suspects any tax evasion by account holders.
What to do: If you own or have authority over a foreign financial account, you are required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) to the IRS if the aggregate value of all your foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. Be sure to do it.
Personal interviewed Martin S. Kaplan, CPA, who has a private practice based in New York City. He is a frequent guest speaker at insurance, banking and financial-planning seminars and author of What the IRS Doesn’t Want You to Know (Wiley).
September 20th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Larry, forgot to finish my thought on my comment to you…that we give a lot of energy to the things Mischa spends a lot of time researching is more important than me posting shots, so although it’s been flattering and fun, I’m sure we’d all agree that working a phone bank for Obama/elections/etc is much more important than agreeing whether I am attractive or not, yes? Just say yes…ZL
September 20th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I was reading how not many Chamorros bother to pass on the ability to speak and read their native language to their children. Sad very sad.
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Chamorro is ‘sort of disappearing’
BY OYAOL NGIRAIRIKL • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS • SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
About one of every two Chamorro people on Guam can understand Chamorro “very well.”
However, only one in four can speak it “very well.” These are just some of the results of a six-month survey of the Chamorro language on Guam revealed during a press conference last night at the Barrigada Mayor’s Office.
The Chamorro Language Assessment Survey talked to more than 6,500 Chamorro people living throughout the island.
It was conducted by local Chamorro culture group Pa’a Taotao Tano’, which means “way of life of the people of the land” in Chamorro.
The survey was conducted using a $98,000 grant awarded in October 2009 by the Administration for Native Americans, which falls under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.
Nicole Calvo, the survey’s project director under Pa’a Taotao Tano’, said she wasn’t surprised by the results.
“The survey shows that while a lot of people still do speak Chamorro, that it’s the manamko’, or the elders, who actually use the language more often, and that for our younger population, or the younger you go, the less people speak or understand,” Calvo said.
“I think it’s kind of sad when you think of how our language, which is in my opinion the core of any culture, is sort of disappearing.”
Despite the somber results, Calvo said there is hope that the language can and will survive.
“We have Chamorro culture and history being taught in public and even some private schools,” she said.
“But we also have programs like Hurao (Culture Camp) that does a really good job in teaching children the language, the culture and the values of the Chamorro people.”
Calvo said the survey results are being sent to Guam DOE, University of Guam, Guam Community College, the Mayors’ Council of Guam and various local, nonprofit cultural organizations.
“Pa’a Taotao Tano’s mission is to preserve, promote and perpetuate the Chamorro culture through song, dance and chants,” she said.
“We’re not a language education program and we’re not going to start classes, but my hope is that through this survey, educational groups on island will be able to strengthen their programs in a way that helps the youth of our island a real chance at getting to know their culture.”
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Hafa Adai
Anna
September 20th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I read the article. This is so true at least for the way I feel about Melinda.
I didnt realize until now after I saw her I still have feelings
for her.
I always wanted to be friends first and then fall in love like
i did with Melinda. Of course, this never happened.
but that’s how I always wanted love to be.
Belle
September 20th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Why Sharks Circle You Before Attacking
Two great white sharks swimming in the ocean spied survivors of a sunken ship. “Follow me son” the father shark said to the son shark and they swam to the mass of people.
“First we swim around them a few times with just the tip of our fins showing.” And they did. “Well done, son! Now we swim around them a few times with all of our fins showing.” And they did.
“Now we eat everybody.” And they did.
When they were both gorged, the son asked,”Dad, why didn’t we just eat them all at first? Why did we swim around and around them?”
His wise father replied, “Because they taste better without the shit inside!”
Now you know
September 20th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Zen Lill
Why should I say yes to something I don’t agree with. Everything is relative. For me shots of your fine bod is just as important as joining a phone bank.
I dare say many a person would agree with me if they dared to admit it. If were from New Orleans I would be saying show me something maam.
Larry
September 20th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
OK fine Larry, have it your way babes ; ) if phone banking and I rank equally then they rate equally, ’nuff said. ZL